Device for dispensing tablets and the like



July 1,1952 I v D. o. WENDT DEVICE FOR DISPENSING TABLETS AND THE LIKE Filed May 19, 1950 INVENTOR. flg/berf 0. Waxy/2" BY Patented July 1, 1952 UNITED PATENT nation ro'itprsPENs-me TABLETS AND THE LIKE Delbert 0. Weiid't, Bonner Springs, Kans. h iiiicat'icniua 19, 1950, SeriaI No. 16297 and has to do primarily with a device for dispensing remedies and adaptable for use by veterinarians, the primary object being to provide a dispenser having an ejector "cylinder provided with a resilient, perforated di'aphragm member for retaining the tablets "or capsules inpiaee until the same are forced through the perforation of the diaphragm.

An aggravating problem in administering medicine to animals results from the heeessity of placing the medicant into the throat of the animal so as to assure that the same will be swallowed. It is desirable to utilize a relatively long instrument for performing this task, but it is difiicult to retain the tablets actual discharge thereof into the throat of the animal is desired.

Accordingly, the most important object of this invention is to provide a long instrument having manual operable parts on one end thereof and an opposed chamber for the tablets having aidila'table diaphragm for rele'asabl'y holding the tablets against discharge until forced therethrou-gh.

Other objects include the way in which an elongated plunger is provided for forcing tablets individually through the-perforated diaphragm;

the Way in which said diaphragm constitutes a flat, perforated rubber-like disc; and the manner of releasably mounting the disc on the tablet storage chamber.

More minor objects will be made clear as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for dispensing tablets and the like made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a substantially central, longitudinal, cross-sectional view therethrough; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the manner of discharging tablets individually through use of the device.

An elongated, tubular body It forms a part of the dispenser forming the subject matter hereof as shown in the drawing, one end of the body Hi being tapered as at l2 and having an internally threaded reduced bore I l. The opposite end of the body It] is open and is provided with external threads It for receiving an internally threaded cap [8. Cap H) has an annular, inwardly extending shoulder 20 that overlaps the proximal end of body In and has a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of body Hl.

Bore M of body 10 threadably receives a long 2 t tube 22 and the outermost free en of tube 22 has a head 24 telescopes thereov'er. Head 24 isprovided with a bore 26 that serves 'as a bearing for a plunger rod 28 that 'ei'c'tends throughout the length of the tube22 and projects into body H]. Head 2!, tube 22 and body ID are co'aiiially disposed and the bore 26 which is appreciably smaller than the inside diameter of tube 22, has a diameter substantially the same as that of plunger 28. The innermost end of the plunger 28 is provided with a cup-like head (it that is afiix'ed to rod 28 in any suitable manner and has a diameter less than the inside diameter of body 18.

A pair of identical split rings 32 35. have their end embedded in the headfz l and rigidly afiixed thereto, said 'rings 32 an 34 being diametrically opposed with respect to 2'4. A bifurcated cap 36 is thre ably mounted on the outermost free end of plunger rod 23 and receives a ring or handle 38. It is contemplated that ring 3'8 be rigidly joined between the fu'ic'ation's of ca 36 and that ring 32 and 34 likewise be ermanently joined with the head 214. p

A diaphragm or end wall iSproi/i'ded for that end or body to opposite to tube 2; and includes a relatively thin circular, rubber-like disc '40 provided with a perforation or opening #2 thatis preferably centrally located andjjwith a r'elatiyel'y sm'all slot llfil radiating outwardly from opening :32. Disc 01" diaphragm 4B is therefore, resilient and is provided with a pair of opposed, flat faces.

A ring 46 preferably of metal, is interposed between the disc MJ and the flange 20 as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. It is contemplated that disc as be additionally secured in place by providing a suitable adhesive coating capable of adhering the same to body It and to the ring 45. Fig. 3 of the drawing clearly illustrates the wa in which the ring so is dilated to discharge individually, tablets 48 when plunger 28 is moved inwardly against the plurality of tablets or other articles 48 in body Ill to force the outermost tablet through opening 42. As soon as one tablet it has been discharged, the disc 49 will immediately return to the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 where the same will retain the remaining tablets 48 within body [0.

Manifestly, the material chosen for producing disc 40 may vary so long as the same is capable of dilation as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing and is also capable of returning to the normal planar condition shown in Figs. 1 and 3. By clamping the disc 48 tightly in place against body it and further, by the use of adhesive as above set forth, the disc 40 will not move from between body In and ring 46 when the capsules 48 are forced through opening 42. Furthermore, by providing the relatively small slot 44 in the disc 40, relatively thin, pliable, highly resilient material can be used without danger of tearing or cracking when placed in use.

It is clear that the plunger rod 28 is actuated by the veterinarian by means of the rings 32, 34 and 38 and that through provision of the long tube 22, body I0 can be placed in the throat of the animal and the capsules 48 discharged at a point where the animal is forced to swallow the tablets. While the veterinarian is arranging to administer the medicament, disc 40 will retain the tablets within body I0, thereby eliminating accidental displacement of the tablets or discharge thereof prior to positioning the body I0 within the mouth of the animal at the desired location.

It is clear also that loading of body 10 with tablets 48 is easily accomplished by forcing the same through opening 42 since disc 40 will also project inwardly into body 10 in a direction opposite to that illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. By provision of the cap 18 and ring 48, discs 40 may be quickly and easily replaced from time to time as desired or as becomes necessary.

While only one form of my present invention has been illustrated and described, it is clear that the same is capable of many changes and modi- 1 claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a dispensing device, an elongated, rigid article-receiving, tubular body having an end wall separate from and releasably secured to said body perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body, said end wall comprising a resilient, normally flat, disc-like diaphragm provided with an opening having a diameter less than the diameter of an article to be dispensed, said opening being capable of dilation as said article is forced therethrough; and a plunger rod reciprocably mounted in the body and extending outwardly therebeyond for forcing the article against the diaphragm and through the opening.

2. In a dispensing device, an article-ejecting, tubular body having an open end; a resilient,

article-retention disc on said end of the body, said disc having a perforation therein; and a cap removably mounted on the body for releasably holding said disc in place with the marginal edge of the latter clamped against said end of the body; and a plunger rod reciprocably mounted in the body and extending outwardly therebeyond for forcing the article against the disc and through the perforation.

3. A tablet dispenser comprising an open end, tablet storage, tubular body; an elongated tube extending coaxially from one end of the body; a plunger rod reciprocably mounted in the tube and extending into said body; a head on one end of the plunger rod in the body; a handle on the opposite end of the plunger rod exteriorly of the tube; and a resilient disc covering the opposite end of the body and having an opening capable of permitting passage of the tablets therethrough only upon dilation of the opening.

4. A tablet dispenser comprising an open end, tablet storage, tubular body; an elongated tube extending coaxially from one end of the body; a plunger rod reciprocably mounted in the tube and extending into said body; a head on one end of the plunger rod in the body; a handle on the opposite end of the plunger rod exteriorly of the tube; and a resilient disc covering the opposite end of the body, said disc having an opening and a slot registering with the opening, permitting passage of tablets through the opening upon dilation of the latter without damage to the disc.

DELBERT o. WENDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,538,678 Blinn May 19, 1925 1,880,103 Murdoch Sept. 27, 1932 2,001,426 Kaps May 14, 1935 2,086,580 Shirley July 13, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 41,222 Austria Feb. 25, 1910 137,512 Germany 1 May 23, 1902 545,259 Germany May 31, 1929 

